2 Years Later… The Wolfmane TribeThe bright morning sun breaks through the slightly pulled-back curtains, but that isn’t what abruptly wakes up Kai from his deep slumber after a night of partying and celebrating Niklas after his coming-of-age ceremony. It was definitely a night to remember, but the morning seems to be one to forget.Dragging himself out of bed, Kai pulls on a pair of sweatpants and opens his bedroom door to see what all the noise is first thing in the morning and sees the house staff rushing around the halls with brooms and mops and various other cleaning supplies.“What is going on?” he manages to ask one worker as he runs past.“Oh, your Highness, my apologies. Have you not heard? We’re expecting important guests to the main house, so we’re preparing everything for their arrival.”He rushes off again with a bow before Kai has the chance to question him more.Special guests? Father said nothing about this. After putting on more appropriate attire, he leaves his roo

“Unbelievable. How long do they expect us to stand here like this? Why are we even here?” Skai complains as she has since the ceremony started, bouncing from one foot to the other on the spot. Serenia chuckles beside her but remains silent, knowing if there is anyone to be reprimanded for anything it’s her.“Don’t you think it’s important for you to be here to support your sister? She is becoming the future Luna of our great tribe. Isn’t that exciting?” Lady Helda, Skai’s mother whispers next to her with a content but blank smile. She is what Serenia calls a sheep in wolf’s clothing, following the herd rather than ever leading it, she just does what she is told and doesn’t ask questions she doesn’t care to know the answer to.Simple-mindedness isn’t always the best form of survival, but it seems to be working for Lady Helda, who has always given Serenia the feeling that she wasn’t completely on board with her marriage as she leads everyone to believe.“Exactly, today is all about Save

After a long silence, it is Savea who breaks it. “You’ve spewed more believable words than this, Serenia, but claiming to be the next High Alpha’s mate is a little immature. Don’t you think, father?” she asks, hooking to their father’s arm like she didn’t just get smacked to the ground minutes ago. Omega Brant glares down at his daughter. “What nonsense are you shouting about? Tell me the truth, or I’ll damn you to your room for the rest of your life!” “It is the truth, he claimed it himself at the ceremony last night!” Serenia cries, never feeling so desperate to have everyone believe something she can’t even believe herself. “A rejected mate is never given a second chance,” he says calmly to her. At his words, a pain stabs her deep in the chest, reminding her of the days she was writhing in agony in her bed from the rejection of the mate bond, her father never once visiting to check on her wellbeing. “Why don’t we have the future High Alpha and his entourage, join us for dinner

“What the hell is wrong with him now?” Gunnar whispers to Niklas, slumped over against the wall of their guest quarters, and points to Kai in a similar position on the opposite wall.“What do you mean? He looks fine,” Niklas says and waves him off.“Fine my ass, the guy looks like he might break down any second, that’s not right.”Niklas sighs and looks toward Kai, frowning when he too sees how miserable he looks huddled against the wall.“What was the last thing he did before coming here?” he asks but Gunnar shrugs.“He left before the ceremony even finished, I’m not sure where he went after that, but I’m pretty sure he left the building at the very least.”Niklas rolls his eyes. “Great investigating skills. You were supposed to be keeping tabs on him, I told you he had been acting weird ever since we got here.”“Why am I on babysitting duty? I already have enough of that with Harbin back home.”Niklas shoves him away and gets up to walk over to Kai, crouching down to wave a hand in

Serenia leads Kai to the edge of the forest behind the Alpha house, feeling most comfortable out here among the quiet stillness of the trees and the light push of the wind through her hair. “I apologize again for my behavior earlier. Had I known what you and your mother have been going through, I would have been more mindful of how irrationally I’ve been acting,” Kai says in a rushed voice. She stops and looks back at him with a curious and confused look. “How do you know of what my mother and I have gone through? Have you visited the Omega house recently?” she presses him. Kai holds up his hands and shakes his head. “I haven’t gone there since arriving here, I swear.” She gives him another curious glare but drops it anyway. “It’s no rumour in your tribe it seems, the way you and your mother are treated in that house. It is completely unheard of, but not illegal, for a high-ranking house to have more than one wife, let alone three. All me and my warriors did was ask around about